Spirodela (Fuping)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Herba spirodelae |
| Botanical Name: | Spirodela polyrrhiza (L.) Schield. |
| Common Name: | Spirodela, Duckweed |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Shennong Bencao Jing |
| Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The whole plant is gathered in summer, cleaned and dried in the sun. |
| Properties and Taste: | Pungent and cold |
| Meridian: | Lung and urinary bladder |
| Functions: | To promote sweating and release the exterior To bring measles rash to the surface and relieve itching To remove water and reduce swelling |
| Indications and Combinations: | 1. Wind-heat type of exterior syndrome. *Use with Schizonepeta (Jingjie), Mentha (Bohe) and Forsythia fruit (Lianqiao). 2. Measles without full expression of rash. *Use with Mentha (Bohe), Arctium fruit (Niubangzi) and Cicada slough (Chantui). 3. Wind-heat type of incomplete rashes and itching of the skin. *Use with Mentha (Bohe) and Arctium fruit (Niubangzi). 4. Edema and difficult urination accompanied by exterior syndrome. *Mashed and taken alone. |
| Dosage: | 3-10 g |
| Cautions: | This herb is contraindicated in cases with weak constitution and spontaneous sweating. |